Don't Turn Around
by lazarus wolf
Summary: New Chapter (10) Lara races to Sam to help her cope with her PTSD. But all is not as it seems as another 'victim' she set free from Yamatai is waiting for her, to make her finish what she interupted. L/Sam - Himiko. This story will be focused on the three primary characters. 30 plus chapters
1. Live, Wriggling, Bait

Shadows whispered to her... filling her with fear, and promises of more to come for her.

She couldn't sleep. Her dreams were a source of preternatural terror to her; filled with the leering eyes and grabbing hands of demented men that took her away for no better reason than 'she' wanted to be free, and liked her skin. She would see the eyes, men's eyes in the dark corners of clubs; broad daylight of coffee shops; in the street; in the stores; everywhere... watching her.

She tried to keep herself calm till she got home, but once there, she still didn't feel safe. The neighbor, the middle-aged blond man with the mustache, the kind face, and friendly tone of voice reminded her of Whitman. Her independence, self-esteem, were both undermined as she tried to fight the nightmares and paranoia with her once vaunted sheer grit... it was to no avail; she went home to recover after having been alone for only three months after returning from Yamatai.

Home was no better: everywhere her culture, her family history... Himiko. Her parents were kind, understanding, but powerless against her frayed psyche. They had her on drugs to give her a sense of calm, but they wore off, and she dreaded taking them because of that fact. She would spend her time on them, dreading the inevitible, terrible moment they would fail. She got worse.

Nightmares turned into a sea of swirling shadows and hidden monsters circling the wooden fortification of her medications and steadily fraying psyche.

Her mother sat with her at night and stroked her daughter's sweat saturated, thinning black hair, crying in the face of the unrelenting torrent of tremors and twitching of her once free, confident, and independent child, now a prisoner to dead men and the shadows of her own families past. Then, she heard it; in the depths of her night terror, Sam breathed a soft breath of calm and safety... HER name.

THIRTY THREE HOURS LATER

Sam was awash in her hell, her body drenched in sweat as she fought to sleep for the sake of her own sanity. Her bedroom door opened, the tall, strong statuesque figure strode silently to her bed, pulled back the sheet and quietly climbed in behind her.

Sam fought, pushing back, "No," she sighed nervously in her sleep,"please no, I want to go home... I want to..."

"Sam," the soft, calm, familiar British voice sighed into her ear as the slender, strong arm slowly wrapped around her waist, and held her gently, breathing slowly till Sam began to breathe in concert with her."It's ok," Lara sighed as she stroked her friends hair away from her face, "I have you."

In her dream, Samantha, once cornered by the beasts of her memory, now stood fearless as a familiar, brave, and beautiful figure strode from behind her into the fray. SHE sent the shadows fleeing from her till the light of the sun was burst free from their hold on her eyes, and shone down on her once more, illuminating the obscured day-to-day objects which were now seen as what they were, and not the frightening misshapen shadows out to grab and rob her of her very soul. There was no threat SHE could not save her from, and in her sleeping state, smiled and sighed peacefully in her saviors arms.

... or so she felt.


	2. The Shadow Knows

Shadows don't sleep, nor do they sit still; least of all when have done so tethered to rot for centuries uncounted

"I owe you... Savior" the human-like form seeming to be standing over the two young women sighed into the sleeping Lara's ear, knowing she'd never hear her; then softly caressed the beautiful, sleeping face with wisps of fingers that felt cold as the ice that had kept her once rotting prison so well-preserved for centuries. She turned the beauties full soft lips to her etherial mouth, and imagined their softness against hers. She could only dream... for now. Himiko smirked, and shook her mist-like head. Such a waste.

Here was a face and body of inspired beauty: a thing of ample warm, wet, soft, firm pleasures to worship, ravage, plunder... to love; or debase and torture with want till she felt it was love. Such beautiful, soft, supple, unsatisfied young flesh. She now knew lust again; after so long knowing only rage - because of this goddess, now sleeping with a weakling.

She wanted to, for a moment, hold her as her chosen was; taste her lips, her skin; feel her warm, full breasts against her body, in her teeth. Lap at her bared nether lips like a hungry kitten till her young body's dams burst forth from both her loins and her beautiful eyes... the music of her sighs, her gasps, her wanton moans would fill the night as sure as the aroma of her pleasure. Before cutting that lovely flesh to ribbons with her precious Sams hands for stalling the inevitable.

It was frustrating that such wonderous joys were going, for the moment, untapped by this 'supposed' descendant of hers. This mere girl held a goddess in her arms - in her bed!... her champion no less! And all the sobbing imp could do was make like a domesticated feline. Such a waste.

She would not waste a moment in the abyss of unconsciousness; the delights she would experience and bring to her rescuer would bind this Lara to her, sumptuous body and soul; maybe she might just take a toe, or a pinky in reparation for her transgressions - oh the wonderful possibilities. How to make this happen?

She looked to her chosen, even more mailable than before, and smiled wickedly. "Fret not 'Lara', all a stranded cart needs is a push down the right hill to get to its intended market. Let me aid in her recovery. She is, after all, family. I promise, men wont be a concern to her for very long. I've played this game with her for months now"

She long ago learned the ancient art of suggestion - the oldest skill of all the arts of domination - her Samantha was putty in her hands. She would easily get this Lara to help her bring her back to the world... in Sam. A dangerous trek, but not to this Lara; HER Lara.

She stepped to Sams sleeping form, and placed her hand upon the crown of the sleeping girls head; and tonight whispered not of crazed men, but of soft, sensuous lips, gentle hands, playful tongues, warm, soft flesh; and did so till Sam moaned.


	3. Reunion

Lara's eyes snapped open, as her hands reflexively grabbed for weapons that weren't there; before clawing at the non-existent filth smeared fingers about her slender throat as she fought for breath. All this transpiring as she lay in her tank top, and cotton panties (having removed her boots at the door to the beach side mansion, and her jeans once Sam was relaxed) on a silk sheet covered king-sized bed, alone with her soundly sleeping best friend beside her. She sighed out in both profound relief, and unassailable frustration, her mind screaming, 'When will this bullshit stop?'

She regained her composure, glancing at Sam as she rolled herself timidly from the bed, hoping not to have awakened her.

These 'dreams' of Lara's, were seemingly trying to show her the outcome of an alternate route to the actions she took on Yamatai - the passive - all ended the same: everyone from the Endurance dead, herself as well; but only after Mathias had given her to his men, a tiny reward for finding Sam. This one differed in that once done using her body, they tossed her into the pit, naked, and alive... for the damned to finish. She was grateful to wake up - scared - but no less unsullied, and very alive - but enough was enough.

As she moved toward the bathroom, situated on Sam's side of the bed, she was suddenly struck by a sharp, abrupt, temperature drop that washed over her entire body. The chill seemed to envelop her. She gasped in shock as her breath appeared before her shivering lips. She let her panicking eyes rest on Sam.

The young documentarian lay peaceful, and smiling. This, whatever it was, wanted just her; or was being experienced only by her. Unpleasant as this was, the fact no one else felt it, was ok with her.

She gritted her teeth as she quickly snuck into the darkened bathroom.

She was warm again, her body whole and not one blemish, safe inside the pitch black room. Had it even happened? Some residual nerve response to her interrupted nightmare? Something her mind wanted her to experience to reinforce the choice she had made on Yamatai; It was the best excuse she could come up with.

She flicked the light switch to no avail; odd for a contemporary mansion. 'Oh hell', she thought to herself, closed her eyes, and let herself be lulled into a sense of certainty by this shaky revelation that at least it wasn't just another disturbingly vivid dream. Besides, she was just glad to be out of that last nightmare.

A drowsy moment passed, and she was awakened by the door slowly opening and closing. Her eyes adjusted just as she caught a glimpse of woman's arm drapped in a silk robe pulling the door closed behind her as she entered the bathroom.

"Sweety?," Sam's hopeful voice called out.

Lara almost wept as she felt Sam's hands touch her outstretched arms, "I'm right here Sam," she gasped, and lightly touched her friend's face, "right here."

"Lara!" Sam gasped joyously, and slowly started sobbing as she clung to her in the dark.

Lara held her friend, crying as she felt her ribs through her robe and silk nightly.

"I missed you," Sam gasped in between sudden crying fits; and slid down to her knees before her as her pain,and fear washed over her in waves.

Lara dropped to her knees, and wept right along with her, trying not to hurt her frail friend.

"I was fine," Sam went on, each gasp for breath a dagger in Lara's heart, each uncontrolled tremor coursing through her fragile frame, a war cry; "I was fine for sixteen whole days..." her voice dissolved into harried sobs, as she buried her face in Lara's breast, and cried till Lara's top was saturated.

Lara felt Sam pull away and press nervous fingers into the soaked top, felt its wetness, and gasped in embarrassment, "Lara I'm so sorry. For all this... dragging you away from your..." Sam stumbled in the dark as she tried to stand.

Lara reached again, reflexively in blind panic,for the useless light switch.

Sam, hearing the switch being thrown aggressively to no effect, took hold of Lara's hand gently, and slowly lowered it to her friend's side. "I had the lightbulbs removed," Sam said sadly, "I haven't been able to hold down food for about three weeks.. it hurts my stomach to try. I hate how I look now. Side effects of the stronger medications."

Lara felt her heart tighten, as it were a Rottweiler tugging against a choke chain. She gently held Sam's face in her palms, and attempted to keep the rage from her voice, "What medications?"

"For my...," she started to say nervously.

Lara kissed her friends forehead, and lips lightly. Sam had already suffered enough underserved self-recrimination. This was not her fault, none of it, and the lovely Brit was not about to let Sam punish herself, or be made to feel bad for it... ever again, "It can wait till later. For now, I gotta pee in the dark."

Sam plugged in a night-light, and left before Lara could see her.

Lara gripped her fist, and fumed with rage at both the doctor, and herself for just taking off. She cried.

Thirty minutes, and her heart all but smoldering ashes after she had trembled from the feel of Sam's frail body in her arms, and the knowledge that it was her fault, Lara emerged from the bathroom to find Sam asleep once more. She resisted the urge to look closer at her, and instead decided to make her friend as comfortable as possible. She stripped off her wet tank top, and slid in behind Sam. In her heart was one desire, to restore Sam's health... however long, and by whatever means it took. She kissed Sam's cheek , and glanced about...

She hesitated as she looked at the huge double glass doors that led from Sam's bedroom, out to Sam's family estate's olympic sized pool patio. She was certain she saw a woman just standing there, staring at them... at her, a moment before. Now, there was just air.

She shrugged it off, and wrapped an arm carefully around Sam, and tried not to cry.


	4. Dream Weaver

**This is a whole new chapter 4**

A moment later

She burst out laughing the moment she opened her striking gold-brown eyes wide - again, and clamped her hands over her gaping mouth a second later. She was dressed once more in her wet tank top, and almost dizzy from the variety and abrupt differences in the nature of these dreams.

What was behind the symbolism of Sam and her embracing in a pitch-black bathroom? Was it Sam at all? Was it an aspect of her, represented by her friend... the innocent Lara? Or was it all those cheap, greasy burgers she had eaten on the planes over here?

She shook her head, and smiled as she turned to see if her bed-mate still slept soundly.

Sam was gone.

Lara called out, fruitlessly; then, dressed in just her cotton panties and wet tank top, climbed from the bed and looked around everywhere in the room; the bathroom; and finally reached for her jeans to enter the hall.

"Hey babe," Sam's voice called out playfully, coming from outside, just beyond the glass walls that opened onto the patio, and overlooked the ocean.

She smiled in genuine relief, and turned to see dark, moving shadows in the shapes of men and women everywhere beyond the glass.

She stepped closer to the windows, staring in fascination at the dark figures as they moved about. It was as if she was observing a fog blurred pool party. As her amazed eyes scanned the scene, they came to rest on one that moved toward the doors; it's movements, and bearing - Sam?

Lara smiled wide as the shadow she watched turned to her and moved into the light... a very healthy Sam stepped to the glass, smiling at her happily. She was gorgeous, and looking Lara over slowly. Lara felt her body heat rise as Sam's joyful, lust filled, smiling eyes moved slowly over her body; the tip of her soft wet tongue gliding across her bottom lip as her heated gaze came to rest on Lara's nipples, suddenly pushing against the fabric of her top.

Lara blushed at being caught in so obviously aroused a state, but she couldn't help herself. This was all as irrelevant as it was a fraudulent moment; she knew this wasn't real, as much as she ached for it to be.

Sam was always going to be ridiculously straight. This whole fear of men thing was a momentary side track from guys. She was almost as obsessed with them as she was with breathing. She would get over this, and her bi best friend Lara would see to it... as always

Still, this night beckoned her to surrender her reality of this lost cause, for a dream-woman; and this 'dream Sam' fed this fire of imagined passion flawlessly, as she stepped back into the darkness, casting smoldering stares over her shoulder at Lara as she slowly slipped off her denim jacket.

Somewhere a soft voice sang, "When You Wish Upon A Star," and filled Lara with a joyous, childlike wonder, and happiness. She was starting to look the other figures over. This was human cloud watching; and better than alternate universe Yamatai.

The other shadows whispered to her in soft sighs and gentle moans to come closer to the twin glass doors to the patio - closer to Sam.

Her instinct gave no other prompting but to follow.

She turned to her jeans that she had laid across a leather recliner in the corner, but found them missing; and smiled playfully... a good dream indeed.

"Sweety?," Sam's excited voice called from behind the doors, "Looking for a hot date babe? Come to me."

She stepped before the two glass doors, grasping their pure silver handles.

Sam, now suddenly dressed in shimmering crimson, and purple silk robes, stepped once more from the shadows, her face radiant, glowing with health, joy, vitality; and something more; something ethereal; something... wrong.

Lara, in her adoration, couldn't have cared less. Sam was here, safe, alive, beautiful and vivacious as ever; not weak, not sickly, not fearing her own beautiful face! and that Sam was just on the other side of the door! What more did she need to know? What more did she want to know? Nothing. The only relevant answer She wanted, was on the opposite side of these doors... Sam was well, and wanted her as well. She needed this harmless fantasy.

Lara's face lit up in a smile of pure adulation, as she opened the two doors, and stepped back as Sam stepped to her. "Konnichiwa." Sam said, and let her eyes linger - for an audible sigh - at Lara's top, before gazing playfully into her eyes, "Have you offerings to make to me? Babe?" She sighed softly as she lifted the hem of Lara's shirt slowly, before letting it fall.

Lara moaned in frustration.

"Offer me your bod," Sam whispered in Lara's ear, as she barely stroked her friends cheek "and I'll take all of you... like you want me to."

Lara folded her arms over her own flat stomach, and slowly peeled the shirt from her body.

Sam smiled wide "I only guessed at the full majesty of your beauty," Sam sighed as she gazed in open lustful triumph at Lara's naked breasts, and lightly teased her fingertips toward them.

"Please," Lara all but pleaded, "touch me."

Sam stared into Lara's bedazzled eyes, "Please who?," Sam asked pointedly.

Lara peered into Sam's smiling, commanding eyes, "Sam...".

Sam slapped Lara's face, "Who?," she repeated more forcefully.

Lara, still entranced, gasped as Sam's cold fingertips lightly brushed her nipples, and shivered as her friend palmed her breasts.

"Who?," the cold hands descended to Lara's panties.

Lara held her breath as Sam's hand lingered there for a moment, then painfully moved away. She sighed out her disappointment.

"Soon," Sam said with a smile, "now I need you to make a symbolic gesture of relenting your strength to me... for shits and giggles"

"How?," Lara asked breathlessly.

Sam smiled, "You have a gun, do you not? useless hunk of metal to me; but it has meaning to you?"

Lara was almost cried as she gasped out, "Roth... it was his . Sam he..."

"Died, VERY well. Still, now it's yours. You need only toss it away, and you will move us closer to how you dream of us."

Lara smiled. This dream was setting tasks for her? She reached into her duffel bag and pulled out one of Roth's Colts, and walked through the open doors in just her panties, and walked to the eighty foot cliffs overlooking the raging Pacific, and looked down at the pounded magma rocks below.

"Just say who I am to you, then drop it - don't be such a wimp." Sam whispered.

Lara was only partially aware of a distant, muttered call, steadily growing in intensity, and desperation as she held the gun out over the ocean.

"My love?"Lara muttered.

Another slap. "Duh! Love is like life: just smoke and mirrors," her 'dream Sam' whispered.

"Lara!"

"Soul-mate?"

SLAP!"Dust in my eternal wind."

"LARA!"

"My only family,"Lara cried.

No slap,"Come on sweety. You gotta release that past, your pain, your pointless need for answers; become mine, and know all that really matters... us. Now...Who am I to you babe?"

"LARA!" it was Sam, running as fast as she could across the manicured lawn in her black silk bed-clothes, and bare feet.

Lara shook her head, smiled, muttered beneath her breath, and released the gun.

Sam wrapped her arms around Lara's waist, and pulled her away as the brown-eyed Brit collapsed seconds later, nearly falling over the cliff.

Sam held her friend tightly, calling out to her still over the crashing of the waves, "Lara! Lara, wake up sweety!"

Lara opened her eyes weakly, and smiled, "Josei tenno," she whispered as she caressed Sam's cheek.

"Empress?," Sam sighed, "sweety, we both need help."

Lara laughed as she regained her wits, and shook her head in frustration, "I need to get Roth's gun."

Sam leaned over the side and glanced down; she smiled, but shook her head, "Lets do it tomorrow; ok? 'She-Bear Grylls'? And if I faint when you're half way down... Good luck."

"You think I can find it?" Lara asked warily as she to glanced over the side.

Sam gaped at her in disbelief, "Lara Croft? The woman who found Yamatai? Yet still can't remember to wear boob camouflage? No problem... I hope."

Lara grinned and shook her head, "Boob camouflage?"

"I'm heavily medicated," Sam laughed defensively, "and you're one to give me shit? Miss 'three twenty in the morning topless cliff diver?' and let's be honest sweety, in the case of your considerable..., " Sam said, holding open her hands to emphasize the Brit's exceptional - and still very naked - breasts.

"Boobs?," the blushing Lara responded with a giggle, still a little mentally woozy.

"Babe, 'a bra' just doesn't hold up. Ya get it?"

Lara smiled, "Funny... you cheeky little... "

"Empress, and don't you forget it! Now come on, let's get back in before the sun rises, and the sight of you draws early morning surfers to the reefs below the cliff, and to certain doom. Death by hormones."

Lara laughed as she and Sam rose from the ground. "Very funny... Empress Samantha."

They made their way back, so lost in giddiness that they thought next to nothing of the sudden light drizzle that misted the windows; and were completely oblivious to the beautiful, young, waist-long black-haired Japenese woman staring at Lara from the far end of the pool, eyes alive with mischief, and ardent desire, 'soon.'


	5. The Gift

She was a little disappointed her Lara had not seen her as the lovely gaigin and her chosen returned to the latters bed chamber. She wanted to know if she found her true face pretty.

She was as close to flesh and blood as she had been in centuries. She wanted to look as best she could for her Lara. She was so impressed by her. She was like a little girl with a beautiful kitten, a tiger kitten. She looked herself over in the glass; she prefered this less formal likeness of her true self to be 'seen' in: her younger, sweet, innocent self; before she was myth. She felt, perhaps, her Lara would be less inclined to hate THIS Himiko. She could hope.

She strode to the cliffs, her long black-hair unmoved by her winds as she whipped her astral hands from her sides, and caused the seas to surge, churning up the seabed, lifting the heavy firearm from its depths. She wanted to show her Lara she was pleased, and very willing to grant her favor... again.

She was elated with her young goddess Lara's willingness to do 'anything' for her chosen, as well as her chosen's love for her Lara. It was painful to witness the two together. Sad. Love is... brittle, passing... flawed, and for those trapped in its false promises - Hell.

To her, the word love, was a deceptive, short, simple word for a debilitating malady of the senses. It infects, and feeds on all like a plague: sucking the reason and self-worth from countless numbers of those fool enough to fall into it. Those like her.

She had once hoped it was not the truth; hoped that true love could never vanish, as if washed away in the rain - a lovely flower petal in a stream. For her It's brilliance was as captivating as a rare jewel, and yet it's truth was that it was as unattainable as a distant star... one very captivating 'star'.

She turned her face to the clear night sky, and thought of HER: her heart grew so dark and pained the very sky clouded; she held the ever-burning image that had lit her eternal pain before her memory, and since she had no lungs to scream, nor tears to cry... she used the sky.

As the thunder crashed, and the rain drenched all but her, she stood in silent torment of that simple, little, terrible word - and of she who STILL held her captive, 'Hoshi! My vision was cursed the day I saw your beauty! My radiant star, highest in my heavens! My sweet sky lotus... why!? Oh my most beautiful blossom... I was not going to... .' she sighed out one last time slowly. She needed to control her pain.

The rain subsided.

She regained her calm, and smiled as she returned to the task at hand: rewarding her new source of hope: her Lara.

She had watched this girl Lara since she saw her jump across the torn ship to the one called Roth. She was very impressed by her courage, as well as her beauty. So she saved her. She pulled her unconscious form to her land using her seas waves, its currents; and granted her the first of many wishes. She also identified her chosen through the girl: Her Sam, and felt the strong pull to her as well.

There was something about Sam she liked, something very special that she had witnessed from her skies; it was something she wanted so desperately to feel... true love.

She had chosen Sam because of how hard, how relentless the Brit had fought, and how inexhaustibly devoted to her Lara was; she had doused the flames for that reason alone. Now she would reward her Lara with the granting of the wish they both shared; to have fully returned the love she desired, and earned. First, a token.

She lifted her hands as the air about her grew still. She almost glowed with the energy of the storm held captive by her very soul, and the strength of her desires. It started low, the howl, but as she spread her arms, it grew. The clouds suddenly swirled into a funnel that reached down right before her glowing form, and down to the sea. It grew stronger as she smiled with joy, thinking of her Lara. Had she been flesh, it would have pulled her right off her feet;instead it lifted the gun from the sea, and placed it at her feet.

The waterspout vanished.

She bent down, and turned the heavy weapon. She grinned.

It was then that she became aware of the familiar cadence of the bare feet approaching her from behind.

She smiled sweetly, and turned, "Oyisumi nasi... Lara san"


	6. Storm Chaser

She walked out into the storm, once Sam was soundly asleep once more, her senses alive as no other time this night. Her heartbeat steady, her breathing slowed, her eyes scanning the grounds as the clouds rained down on the Hawaiian compound, cutting off all visibility to mere feet. She was searching... for her; beckoned by a siren's song.

She felt as if she was still under the almost euphoric trance-like influence of her 'dream woman' as she once again left the comfort, and warmth of a shared bed - and the sleeping girl she held as close to her heart as the blood it pumped - to meet perhaps her own dream fueled desires made flesh... or so she hoped: the girl who had watched her so hungrily. She had to be real; she wasn't going insane. She had to prove it to herself.

She initially found nothing but disappointment and confusion; saw nothing where she had seen the girl before;- the far side of the pool; found nothing in the only place unlocked to hide from the torrential downpour: the pool house; then to the gardener's tool shed, nobody. She frowned as her already wet tank top became utterly drenched.

She was driven not by alarm brought on by the storm, not by fear for the possibly imaginary girl's well-being, but by the want of knowing her. Her dreams this strange night had reignited something in her she had thought she had extinguished long ago, and the same look that she saw from Sam in the dream was blazing from the eyes of that mysterious girl. She was instantly drawn to her on an almost primal level; as if her own will was out of her personal control. She felt as if she was possessed.

The girl had no lying in her eyes, no reservation, no fear; Lara, in her sleep deprived, lust addled mind - if either of those were the cause of her present state - felt she was what she needed: a safe outlet for all this pent-up lust. It was unsettling. If she could just start a dialogue, maybe a little safe, side romance with this obviously kindred spirit as she helped Sam recover, she could get these thoughts of her and Sam out of her head... if she can just find her.

She was getting impatient, frustrated; she knew she had seen her! She was not a dream!

It had been a brief glimpse, out of the corner of her eye: the pale figure of a beautiful young woman, long black hair, staring at her from the opposite side of the pool, staring right at her - smiling.

She had been too preoccupied with Sam being such a good mood; too confused by her own actions, her perpetual dream-like state... was the girl real at all? was she still hallucinating?

In her confusion, in her mad hope for vindication of her senses, she dashed toward the far side of the mansion as the storm suddenly died away.

She had reached the front entrance when she heard the wind pick up behind her. She turned with cautious wonder, and moved slowly toward the beach front.

She never saw the waterspout, only the roar of the wind dying as it vanished, as she moved, once more toward the cliff.

She saw movement, several feet from the cliffs, midway toward the bedroom... someone kneeling?

Through the lite mist she finally saw her quarry's back. The girl's hair came down to her waist, her eyes are deep brown, almost black, her smile beautiful, her lips almost too red, her body slender, graceful, covered by a white cotton shift, now wet from the rain, and almost translucent.

Lara blushed as her eyes lingered on the saturated cover clinging to the well-shaped, firm breasts, flat, narrow waist, and trimmed patch of fine dark hairs at the center of the girl's hips, and other visible signs of the beautiful, naked body beneath.

The girl smiled even wider, and greet her with a casual, "Good evening, Lara," in contemporary Japanese, it is the fact she concluded with the Brits name that caused Lara some hesitation. "Not the best night to be out running about," the beautiful stranger sighed with a breathtaking smile as her eyes returned the soft, sweet inspection of Lara that the Brit had just made of her. "I heard your friend calling your name before; forgive me if I scared you by knowing it."

"Not at all," Lara gasped as her voice caught in her throat. She stepped confidently forward, indifferent to her own almost invisible shirt. Feeling emboldened, and almost instantly entranced by the open amorous appreciation of her body by this mysterious, beautiful girl.

For a moment Lara tried to reason her own behavior What was it she thinks is 'real' about this?

Then the girl pursed her lips and ran her fingertips over Lara's shoulders.

The girl was real.

Lara smiled in relief, and stepped even closer.

The girl smiled wíde, "Let me help you with your... wetness," and took firm hold of Lara's saturated top, gathered it into her hands, lifted it almost off the brown-haired beauties breasts, yet never broke eye contact with her spellbound new friend, as she squeezed till the water ran in rivulets down Lara's taught, flat, naked belly, and between her thighs.

"How do you know I like... girls?,"Lara asked through trembling lips as the girl tickled her fingertips across Lara's naked belly.

The new arrival sighed contentedly as she fluttered her fingers gently up the brown-haired beauties rain saturated body. "These," she whispers as she gently brushed Lara's erect nipples through the shirt, "and your mouth," she added as she lightly played her fingertips over Lara's full bottom lip. "You find me pretty?," the girl asked hopefully as Lara lowered her lips to hers.

"Oh yes," the Brit moaned with a slight giggle, her mouth inches from the girl's, "...Very."

The girl suddenly stared sternly at her, "More than your Sam?"

Lara was thrown off-guard, yet believed she understood the reason for the question, "Sam is my best friend," she said with a soft laugh, watching the strangers eyes, "we've known one another forever. She is the one person I cannot bear to lose; but she isn't interested in other women, and I have no desire to change her. I love her just as she is."

The girl gazed again at Lara's eyes, her own verging on tears, "You come to her aid, her rescue, her side... without hope of ANY gratified needs of your own sans her getting well. You do this out of a selfless desire to have her well, and back to rutting men as you look on... at her: the only woman you can truly trust, giving herself to those so much less deserving."

"My sexual desires for women are equal to my desires for men; but I only pursue those wanting to be with me... for real. My last female lover was simply interested in me as a way to please another - the one she really cared for."

The girl's mouth dropped open in astonishment at the Brit's candor.

Lara blushed at the girl's admiration as she went on, only mildly self-conscious of opening up so much to this stranger she only just met in the the dark of night, in the dying wind of a storm, "She was already intimately involved with someone else, a man. She seduced me into a relationship with her because he wanted to have sex with me, and I was only interested in having it with her. I'm more careful now."

The girl smiled almost wickedly, and pressed her body to Lara's, kissing her on the crescent scar on her clavicle.

Lara, transfixed, as she was in the dream, moved her anxious lips to the girl's, but found only air as the girl moved quickly behind her, and pointed over the archeologist's shoulder to the ground before the enraptured English girl's eyes.

Roth's gun lay before her, on the wet grass.

Lara smiled so broad her cheeks hurt, and her tears welled up in her eyes. "I must have dropped it here," she gasped in wonder.

The girl smiled happily as she watched the astounded British beauty; almost giddy in elation as she saw the light in Lara's beautiful eyes.

Lara knelt to grasp the gun, and instantly felt the course grit of sand, and the scent of seawater. She was momentarily confused.

The strange girl caressed the bewildered brown-haired beauty's cheek, distracting her from the handgun. The lovely stranger then lifted her lips to the open breach of the empty gun, pursed her soft lips, and blew into the handgun.

Too preoccupied by the girls beautiful eyes to see, Lara never noticed the thick jet of sand and salt water that blasted out of the barrel of the Colt till none remained.

The stranger smiled sweetly as she stepped behind Lara, looking momentarily to the house, "You worry to much for one so beautiful," she sighed, "the sea is stirred up by the storm... it is everywhere. It splashed perhaps? I will be seeing you... Lara."

"I guess." Lara sighed absent-mindedly, lost, momentarily, in her in joy. She then shook her head, "NO, please wait!" and quickly turned to face the girl, and only saw Sam standing in the doorway to the bedroom, laughing.

"Hey! The wet t-shirt contest is this Saturday at Peacock Pete's. The winner gets... well, wet. AND all the phone numbers from as many guys as can still think straight. If you wanna win, er go; I might be tempted to... " her voice trailed off as she thought of the event, the men, all leering at her, her friend; they would just be two lovely objects to snatch away, to fill with ugly, terrible secrets, promises, lies... pain.

Lara rushed to her, gathering her friend in her wet arms and smiled warmly, "Sam?," she said, urgently trying to distract her friend from the train of thought blatantly driving through her mind, "Do you remember Alex when he came over to the Nine Belles that friday when we were all given our new t-shirts? Remember what he said when he saw how mine was too low-cut and bared my belly?"

Sam smiled sadly.

"He said, 'L.C., you don't need to wear this string dish-rag to schlep beers. With your brains, you could sell a cattle rancher his own own cow's shit... over the phone'."

Sam sniffed back her encroaching tears, "Yeah," she sighed out softly. "He was a good one. He used to sit and watch the guys getting loaded, just to go up to you, and every time one of them 'accidentally' groped your butt or yer boobs? He'd 'accidentally' trip them on their way into the men's room stalls; or took photos of them groping you with their own cellphones, and sent them to their mothers, or girlfriends. Didn't see them THAT drunk again... if we saw them again."

Lara smiled, but with tears in her eyes. She was still stinging from her losses, including that of her male schoolmate; a guy she would have likely, happily dated, if she wasn't so preoccupied at the time by her last failed foray into intimate relationships. She wondered, and not for the first time, if she had let herself see him as more than a friend, maybe even a lover, would she have bothered with looking for 'adventure' elsewhere?

"Sorry sweety," Sam whispered sadly, and turned away.

Lara smiled wider, "Sam, it's very ok. I want to talk about him, about Grimm, even Roth. I want to talk about that cute First-Mate you couldn't keep 'practicing' steering the ship with... when we were still in dock; I want to talk about them, the way the were, the way they died: like real, true, honorable men; not mind-fucked monsters pretending to act like men... then running scared from a girl. "

Sam's tears flowed freely, her face pink from her frustration, confusion and pain, "I wish we knew," she all but whispered, "I wish we knew the truth before we went."

Lara hugged her trembling friend to her, feeling equally ashamed of her selfish desire for the strange beauty, rather than remaining with Sam, and confused as to the Japanese girls sudden disappearance.

Sam sighed in deeply, and let herself relax into Lara's arms.

"I feel that every morning, every hour, every moment of every day since we crashed on that hell." Lara said through her trembling lips, "I never..."

"I mean," Sam interjected, "about if what happened during that ritual was a banishment of one soul for the other... or a possession."

Lara stared bewildered at her friend.

Sam was calm, no fear, just a look of loss and melancholia as she spoke of her own brush with death - or had it been?

"One isn't the same as the other," the filmmaker went on, as if she were a screenwriter rethinking a scene, "I did some looking into it after the island. Theoretically Possession is more like... like one person sliding over on a front seat of a car to let another person drive. If that would be all it was, and if we knew that, and had just gone up to the monastery right off... I could have lived happily with that... goddess like power, and not one person we loved dead."

Lara couldn't believe her ears. She wasn't mad, or scared for her friend... just in awe of Sam's compassion. Sam would have been willing to sacrifice her independence, of soul, to save her friends. "Those animals wanted us dead Sam, it would have ended the same, no matter how much you tried to go along. Those animals had committed too many crimes to let ANY of us live."

"I guess. At least you made em pay. I love you Lara."

Lara held Sam closer and cried with her as the sun began its slow crawl toward the heavens.

It is in that instant Sam noticed Roth's gun in Lara's hand, "Sweety," she gasped happily, "Where?... how?"

Lara held up the Colt, and thought for a moment, then decided against telling Sam about her rendezvous, "I dropped it... I guess."

Somewhere, in the periphery of her vision, SHE watched, and smiled... soon.


	7. The Next Morning

She couldn't tell for the entirety of that night if any of what she was going through was real; and even as she awoke - and for a while after - she was uncertain she was in fact awake.

Morning brought the sun, the ache of over used, exhausted muscles, and a feeling of near euphoria from a re-energized Sam as she smothered Lara's face with kisses, and tickled her relentlessly.

Lara tried to keep her cool - feeling the need to play nurse maid - but she soon found herself unable to do anything but laugh uncontrollably till she gasped for breath as Sam assailed her armpits and the soles of her naked feet with relentless fingertips. "HELP!." she screamed in between gasps for breath as Sam pressed her face to her flat stomach and blew onto it, fluttering her lips against the sensitive skin "I NEED A GROWN-UP! "

Sam heard this and grinned malevolentlly. Taking a huge breath, she quickly lifted the gasping brown-eyed beauty's tank top, pressed Lara's naked breasts together, pressed her lips into Lara's snug cleavage... and blew her soft, fluttering lips, this time, against the extra tender flesh of the Brit's ample bosom.

Lara gasped, "SAMANTHA!"

Sam grinned, and gave her friend's breasts a single firm, loving squeeze before pulling the shirt down over them, "Wanted to motor-boat those bad boys since that trip we took to Mardi Gras; SEVENTY bead necklaces you got, just for stripping down to your bra in that bar."

"And letting them do body shots off me," the Brit added.

"ONLY those female strippers." Sam said pointedly.

"DANCERS!" Lara cried in her own defense.

Sam's fingers lightly brushed her friend's naked abdomen, "Then getting 'motor-boated' by that Playboy bunny," She added.

Lara stared at Sam's hand, mesmerized.

"How was she?," Sam asked, her fingers playing with Lara's navel,"I mean, after she gave yer right boob that hickey? you know... when she kissed your lips?"

Lara blushed as Sam slid closer, and brushed the pad of her right thumb over Lara's full bottom lip as softly as breath.

"It was... nice,"Lara whispered.

"I'm glad sweety,"Sam sighed, "I hadn't seen you happy with anyone since that bitch tried to manipulate you into a threesome with her toadstool boyfriend... what the fuck was her name?"

"Amanda Evert," Lara spat the name like bile from her lips.

"Yeah, mega bitch; and that pretty, over sexed, fuck muppet of hers - 'Jimmy': Senator 'Fucklands' failed attempt at a son."

Lara laughed loud and hard to the point of tears, "I think you'll be fine Sam." Then she covered her mouth with her pillow and roared in laughter, "Fuckland," she finally sighed out as she pulled the pillow from her face, and giggled uncontrollably.

Sam grinned, "Ditto babe" she all but whispered as she stared at Lara's joyous face, "Come on!" she commanded as she slapped Lara's hip gently, "I have missed too many of Lara Croft's famous Mai Tias, and Tequila shots for me to be healthy... let's get tanked."

Lara grinned happily, and followed Sam as she took the Brit's hand and pulled her into the hall leading to the main living room, and private bar.

"Sam!," Lara shouted, "I'm practically naked!"

"Who gives a fuck!," Sam shouted happily, "raise our property values! Go on! Go out on the front lawn! Do some yoga! Really sweety, all the male help was sent packing a week ago. Mom even told dad to visit my uncle Toru in Tokyo for an extended visit while the - and this is mom's idea of subtlety - 'specialist from England' was working with me."

Lara blushed.

"Dad hired a whole slew of new female security, and grounds keepers, also in-house help to help mom out while I get you drunk... er get well. I don't even know half of them, haven't even seen some at all."

"Could some be from Tokyo?," Lara asked carefully, trying not to seem too anxious.

"Why?" Sam asked playfully, "Wanna sample some fresh Tokyo sushi? Tired of the USA's hot pockets?"

"SAM!"Lara gasped in embarrassment, "Really? I'm a bit more romantic than that... most days."

Sam hugged her blushing friend, "I'm teasing you gorgeous. I love that you're 'bi' I can take you anywhere, and start a fucking block party or rave... just get the right girl to get you started, and the right guy to top you off... and just enough charge in the web cams. Every time... "

"I want my cut of the post production earnings!" Lara joked.

"Good times, and great footage... just never of your nudity. Remember last New Years?"

Lara grinned wide, "I was hoping to forget... Prague, right? Fernando and Alessandra? I never heard from them again by the way."

"I did... divorced, she likes girls now... home wrecker."

Lara frowned.

Sam kissed her friend on the cheek,"Just busting ya sweety... he was gay. He just had to get his face in your cleavage. She was his best friend... both gay."

Lara sighed in relief as they stared out at the huge backyard, and the specially landscaped beach access and private grotto attached to the leisure pool and patio, as well as the pool house and olympic lap pool outside Sam's room,.

"Welcome to Ayumu Nishimura's gift to his wife," Sam called out happily, "a slightly larger version of the backyard of the Playboy Mansion West. Mom visited once - loved it."

Lara smiled at the view. "I always wanted to see it too. Kathy invited me there... if I was ever in L.A."

Sam's jaw dropped, "Kathy?"

Lara stammered slightly, having completely forgot Sam never knew just how much further that 'Kiss' really led, "Well... I, she, and I that is... we sort of - WOW! Just look at that Seascape!"

"The Bunny?" Sam was awe-struck.

"PLAYMATE," Lara corrected.

"I'm... I'm... fuck a doodle do! Lara, high fucking five girl!"

Lara slapped Sam's upraised hand, laughing as she did.

After what seemed like forever, with Sam just staring at Lara's profile as she looked out at the sky... "So," Sam finally ventured, "How was...?"

"She made me forget Amanda; my name for a few minutes; and, as you know... our hotel room."

Sam grinned happily and opened the wall-high liquor cabinet,"You slept at her place?"

"No... sleeping never came about. we had our fun and went out for coffee. Well, I had tea, then some of her coffee."

"She was a straight up lesbian?"

"No, oddly enough," Lara sighed as she mixed them both a Mai Tai, "She said I was only one of two women she was ever inclined to go gay for."

"Damn," Sam gasped, "NOW I am impressed. Who was the other chick?"

"Angelina..."

"HOLY FUCK!," Sam interrupted and pulled out her Black Berry, holding it up to the sky, "That seagull just got nailed by a fucking Lara! Right in mid... "

"A WHAT?," Lara gasped in disbelief as she watched a Peregrine Falcon kill a seagull in flight.

Sam grinned, "A YOU!"

Lara's mouth gapped as she shook her head, "A Falcon? Me?"

Sam grinned, and turned the phone on her friend, "Here is the 'legendary' Lara 'fucking' Croft: ass kicker extraordinaire; Warm formed warrior woman, whipping on the worlds worst wackos; and just plain hot as fucking hell switch hitter - who plays for both teams - and never fails to recruit the hottest women, without even wanting to - if only for one game."

Lara shook her head in embarrassment.

"Our world-renowned adventurer is presently watching a deadly predator swoop down and kill with an almost unbelievable grace and dexterity another car wash owners best friend, right out of the ski in mid-flight... hence - a Lara."

"Cute Sam, very cute. 'A deadly 'bird''... basically."

Sam raised her drink to her best friend, "To my best friend, the hottest archeologist on earth."

Lara toasted , "Flattery wins every time," she said, drank, and kissed Sam's forehead lightly, "Thanks."

"I am stoked," Sam went on, "I get to nuzzle your soon to be world obsessing boobs..."

"SAM! quit being such a guy! I'll be half expecting YOU to 'top me off'."

Sam smirked, "Never can tell," the film maker snickered, "I might just give Kathy some competition if my 'cockaphobia' continues."

Lara hugged her and raised her glass, "To you Sam, the best damn 'Motorboater' I ever met."

"Here here!," Sam cheered, "now, we need some shades, bikinis, and sunscreen to play the roles we were born to... two hot drunk chicks, lying around doing nothing."

Lara smiled at her friend, so ecstatic, she paid no heed to the sudden temperature drop... 'air conditioning?' She dismissed it, and wondered with a bit of undisguised happiness if she could find her friend from the other night. She was loaded with hope for a full, speedy recovery for Sam, and maybe a little further exploring of the new stranger in her life.

She didn't need to look far. If she wasn't so lost in her giddiness, she might not have missed the reflection in the mirror to her left - HER; smiling knowingly, directly behind them.


	8. Sad

She enjoyed them together; still it was sad to watch - such joy going unexpressed. all the love songs echoing in a heart that knew so many; now going unheard, unsung by her lips, just as they had been for centuries.

So sad, and so lonely... but not now, not ever again. Soon she would be with her true Love, her Lara; And she would love her ... always. She could make it forever, she truly could... bliss.

Still, she felt for her Lara in the interim. If Sam was so inclined, her Lara would show her bliss. But no...

Sad her chosen could not see past the flesh to the soul that loved hers; give her her body as well as her heart... as she would.

It was what it was... for now. She just needed the time to convince her chosen of the greater good. She would see it; she would... soon.

She was enjoying this. The three of them alone in this warm water stone alcove, sitting, relaxing, talking... well, THEY were talking, she was simply there, enjoying their company.

They were humorously prattling on about boys, women, myths, her, performers of all types, athletes; they talked of everything, and yet... nothing.

Such a waste.

Sad to see such lost time, lost joy... for now.

Such a sad, beautiful, fated to misery pair. Perhaps it would be best if she failed; better that nothing ever happen between them. Her Lara had suffered too much already. But she needed to reward her, wanted to know her lips, her skin, not just let her experience her touch. How she loved this girl.

She had followed the pair into the bed chamber the previous night, and heard their discussion regarding this boy they knew, saw her chosen cry, heard her offer of wilful submission to save her friends... she was wrong about her - she had had a kind heart and a sweet demeanor. Still, she was weak, a danger to all around her... especially HER.

Sad, but true she had so frail a nature... Good that SHE did not.

As kind a heart and true a friend, her chosen lacked so much her Lara needed her to have to be happy. She would fail, she would be captured, she would bring her Lara's death simply by being her Sam.

She lacked strength of mind, and fortitude of will. She surrendered too easily to men who she knew needed her in one alive, and unharmed to accomplish their ends.

Sad, and pathetic...

Had she threatened this Mathias with her own death... what could he do? his men would have rebelled against him once they had seen she was the chosen? SHE could have had his own army kill him dead on the spot, and with as much pain as she desired... burn HIM and his henchmen alive. If she had been her.

They would have no choice but to obey; that, or remain indefinitely trapped with her Storm Guard... along with her.

Sad she could not see past her own final judgement for the greater good...

If only she had been more like... her - Himiko, the sun queen, the woman she was before. A woman who could save her Lara, and the men who died for her. Such a waste of life... for a weakling. She had no choice; if Lara was to live, unafraid, without concern or worry... Sam had to taken by her, and become one with her.

She was so soft, so trusting, so mailable... still, it was hard to do it; to steal away someone so they don't get others killed - again. It did not mean she could not show the kind child the compassion the girl had for the others.

She would whisper more gently from this night on; help to reassure her that she could be strong, she could be brave - like her Lara. Perhaps this would ease the choice to surrender her soul to the greater good, before others forced her to make that choice for her.

She would spare her the alternative. THEY would come eventually... the ones who made her beautiful star entrap her. THEY would slaughter to see her trapped again - their prize. None would be spared to break her will: Her mother, father, cities awash in blood; just to make her kneel to to their will... even her Lara - dead.

She would try to help her see how it had to be to save the innocent she said she valued so highly... she deserved to be given the choice. Surely she would see... there was no other way. SHE needed to be inside to greet them when they came; she needed to be the one to deal with them; she needed to be the one to make them pay for all the crimes committed in her name; she needed to be the one to...

She gently caressed her chosen cheek as she relaxed in the warm pool beside her Lara, 'Child,' she thought to herself sadly, 'Had I but knew your true heart was this soft and kind... I never would have chosen you. I would have blasted that vermin from my shores, and dragged their screaming carcasses into the depths of the sea so dark it might eclipse their souls. Daughter... forgive me. I will make of you a great empire to stretch across this world, and make the unworthy food for crabs and pigs. But I must be the one to rule... I must be the only one; you're too weak... forgive me Samantha.'

She turned to look at her Lara, and saw the beauty staring in bewilderment directly at her. How? Then she saw it, the vague image of a reflection of her in the water. She smiled, and vanished.

Sad she had to go... for now - soon.


	9. A Day to Forget

Was 'it' real? Lara had scarcely had the time to assess the thing with her alcohol addled eyes and 'it' was gone. It hadn't been real... just more mind games - she hoped.

The - what? vision? No... shape? impression? - of a human form... the stranger from the other nights form... made of, what? mist? Whatever it was - or wasn't - had 'sat' behind Sam, gazing at her. Then had seemed to look right at her. Then it seemed to fade like mist.

She needed less drinking, and more sleep... that's all. Right.

Lara shook her head and closed her eyes as the mild alcohol induced 'buzz' continued its gentle supression of her mind, its pain.

Pushed aside, for the moment, were her memories of blood, death, her blind ambition ignoring the protests of the others; their reason overwhelmed by her certainty... her stubborn pride.

Her guilt whispered to her as she gazed at the beauty of this place, shattering her peace, 'I found Yamatai. Are you happy for me, Aiesha? My fellow fatherless daughter? I held yours when he died - he never spoke your name. I slaughtered an army of madmen! Are you impressed Mr., and Mrs. Weiss? Your only son was. So impressed by my... 'brilliance' that he died, burned alive, for a bag of tools. You might ask what great gift did I give him for every day that has followed that his unselfish sacrifice has given me? What was given to him from this woman who knew of his unspoken love? A kiss on the cheek.' She gasped out her breath, and tried to suppress her tears, "Alex," she whispered as her tears slid down her cheeks, "I'm so sorry. I should never... ."

Then HER voice came, her lovely new friend's, whispering into her mind. It spoke so soft, and gentle, lovingly. It filled her with another side of that hell, another truth? carried by that sweet voice.

She went along with this strange - booze induced? - daydream. Sometimes it's ok to let yourself play along with your own exhausted imagination; so long as you don't talk back to your shadow-lovers... right?

"Oh my sweet love...," the voice lovingly sighed as the feeling of soft, gentle fingers came to rest on her cheeks, "have you no understanding of your souls transcendant beauty? Listen then, of the great good you have done."

The story being told, by the voice, was terrible; and she wondered what part of her mind had devised it as a means to vindicate her.

"Care you so for innocent young life cut short for you by choice? Then recall the others... the lives you could not have saved - inhumanly murdered for..." the voice faltered, then continued "but to who you brought justice. They were all innocent, they were young, and they all begged for mercy - my Lara... I heard them. I too was lost in my pain, my private hell, too deep inside my cell of misery to feel anything... till you. All of them died alone, burned alive, before a cavern full of selfish butchers who did not even offer the compassion of a spear to the heart. All unmourned. And - until you - unavenged. And speaking of innocence..."

Then the story went into a place so nightmarish, she hoped it had been just her mind that had made it up... or she had been much too merciful toward the Solari.

"Do you want to hear how the two little girls whose toys you found died?"

She trembled. In response, the hands on her cheeks caressed her forehead; the chilly fingers cooling her skin. What was this?

"Forgive me," the voice whispered gently, "My love. YOU feel shame? Do not. You righted such wrongs... mostly mine."

She took the words in; but, convinced she was the source, she ignored them as a trick of her own mind. The fingers caressed her lips, her neck, her shoulders.

"What I would have given to hear their laughter. Instead... . They were not given to flames; they never felt the brief, unexpected, quiet, quick mercy of a Storm guard archers arrow to the heart. They were used as live bait... for wolves. Do you want me to tell you how they cried? How they begged the men to help them? To PLEASE... scare the doggies away?" the voice dissolved to silent crying.

Lara was drifting up, partially awake, partially convinced otherwise... crying.

"My love... ," the voice continued, periodically breaking into gasps and sighs, "When you came, my clouds parted. When you killed the first pig - the one who led the children to their death, and laughed as he watched them - I found hope. I only scarcely thought you real... so beautiful, so fearless. Oh my lovely gaigin, how can you feel anything but pride for your deeds?"

Lara smiled slightly.

"My Lara, my hope, my samurai, do not cry for your men - ever: not for your Alex; for he does not burn. His soul resides in VERY good company. All those girls surround him, adore him, and they ALL watch you... and smile. Certainly do not cry for your valiant Roth, be of him proud, and joyous beyond words for he stands a man among true men beside his man Grimm. They all are at peace... because of you. They feel nothing but happiness, and pride as they see your victories. You allowed them all to die as men ache to... with honor. All this because you came to me... my savior. Come, let us walk together... my glorious good friend."

Lara opened her eyes. The soft , playful giggle of her strange new friend echoed through the grotto. The lovely girl was standing before her, dressed in a sheer sun dress over a white string bikini, smiling at her, before opening the dress, to reveal the soft, firm, almost alabaster white skin beneath, and slinked away.

"Oh no you don't," Lara sighed, caught once more under the spell, and with a single glance back at a happily resting Sam, she took off after the girl.

...

'Come to me saiaii - yes, I call you my beloved. For I exist now, here, by my love for you alone... my amazing, beautiful, kind, sweet as fruits and wine Lara... come to me: come taste my lips, my fingers, my heart. Please.'

Himiko marveled at her surroundings, her scant clothing, her own warm skin. Her Young goddess had drawn her into her own fantasy, a place prepared for HER, NOT for her chosen. She smiled broader than ever. Her Lara wanted her. Bliss... at long last.

The soft wet patter of her goddess feet behind her was such sweet music.

'Now I am happy.. come my only one, let us lay the seeds of our soon to be true union in your dream. Be mine within your mind. My love.' she smiled as she turned, and dropped the dress... 'I will love you very, very soon - my love. Very soon.'


	10. A Taste of Bliss

Lara picked up the silk sun dress; her eyes tracking the long legs of the girl as they strode into a huge, four pillared, open Polynesian styled veranda overlooking the ocean.

Lara followed, and was greeted by a breathtaking view of both the Pacific beyond the cliffs, and the beautiful girl she had followed seated on a giant hammock, her captivating eyes smiling invitingly into her own. She was so beautiful, so sensual, and so real. Lara was awestruck, humbled; she wanted her, needed to be wanted by her; and there was something else in those eyes: a desperate longing that mirrored her soul - SHE needed her just as intensely.

"Kotti ni kite," the girl gasped out, her full red lips trembling as her flat belly visibly fluttered.

"Come to me," Lara whispered breathlessly, repeating the girls plea with equal need, tears welling in her beautiful eyes. She swallowed hard, as her mind swam in a tempest of endorphins. Her fevered eyes moved from the beautiful, dilating eyes; to the sweat beading on the blushing rising breasts; the firm thighs rubbing nervously together; the cherry red lips panting softly as the delicate fingers danced near the achingly scarcely concealed sex. She closed her wandering eyes and moaned softly as the wind carried the longed for scent of a woman's arousal to her expectant nose.

Lara, her body flushed, her hands sweating, heart racing, took a long, deep breath, and stepped to her.

The girl smiled that same joyful smile she first gave her, like a lost child seeing her equally happy mother.

Lara blushed as the girl took hold of both of her shaking hands and squeezed them gently.

"Please sit," the girl asked softly.

Lara, her hands still held by her beautiful new friend, sat beside her on the hammock, their thighs touching lightly; Lara suddenly looked away from the others eyes nervously...

It was the beauty who spoke first, her soft, comforting voice gently coaxing the Brit out of her momentary shell; her soft, loving, familiar caressing fingers pulling Lara's long brown hair away from her lovely face, "Why are you crying?"

Lara had momentarily forgot her tears, sniffed and turned to the girls loving eyes, and gasped at their beauty, and the compassion she found there. She found her words sliding tentatively from her lips, frightened of coming on too suddenly from so genuine a place in her heart to a stranger, "I... like you. I've never been so... anxious around anyone like this. I'm overwhelmed, I feel I should be on my knees before you." she smiled, and stroked the girls inner thigh.

The girl gasped, "Never."

"Never?," Lara sighed, embarrassed by her own assumptions; perhaps the girl was drunk the other night. She made to rise, "I'm sorry. I thought... forgive me."

The girl suddenly leaned in, seeming in a panic, and held her hands as if fearful of letting her go, like a drowning woman clutching a piece of driftwood "It has been a long time. I sometimes forget the playful aspects of... "

"No harm done," Lara gasped through her smile, "It's been a long time for me too. I mean... feeling this way about someone I just met is odd, but... wonderful."

"Perhaps we've met before? In another life?" the beauty asked.

Lara smiled, "I never used to believe in that sort of thing, before... before..."

"Yama...?" the girl began to say in a whisper.

"I never should have," Lara abruptly interrupted; her words rushed, spewing from her in an unnerved torrent; triggered by her anxiety, and the sound of the girl's voice starting to say the name - a fragile, hastily constructed damn gave way to one last raindrop, "I should never have suggested we go into the..." she tried to sniff back a tear, staring at her own feet, her hands clenched together, her thoughts fragmented, "I wish I'd... oh God.". A moment after she briefly closed her eyes, her tears flowed freely again

The girl dropped to her knees before her, her right hand gently covering Lara's, her left caressed the Brit's tear streaked cheek, "Do not cry," she pleaded, "I cannot bear... cannot see why you feel such guilt ."

"I was the one. I was the one who..."

"Did you force them to board the ship?" the girl interrupted.

"No, but I..."

"Did you want to go on till all food was gone?"

"No," Lara looked into the beauty's unflinching gaze, "We wanted to..."

"Go home?"

Lara just stared as the girl placed both hands on her face and brought her mouth inches from her own, she was trembling, "Wanted to discover Yamatai... find..."

The beauty caressed Lara on the chin as she lightly brushed Lara's lips with her nose, "Himiko?"

"Yes," Lara panted.

"Well," the mysterious beauty sighed as she closed her mouth over the flushed Lara's lips, "you found her."


End file.
